Improvement in post-hole diggers



UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

AARON E. LINDSLEY, OF PAW PAW, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN POST-HOLE DIGGERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 139,169, dated May 20, 1873 application filed April 1, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AARON E. LINDSLEY, of Paw Paw, in the county of Van Buren and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Post-Hole Digger; and I do hereby declare that'the followin g is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of an instrument for digging post-holes, and for other purposes, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention a-ppertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view, and Fig. 2 an end view, of my instrument.

A A represent two segmental blades of any suitable size, having their inner ends bent inward and secured by bolts (1 d to their respective bases B B. The inwardly-bent parts a a of the blades are split, as shown, for attachment. The bases B B are each provided with a shank, 1), extending at right angles with it and in an opposite direction from the blades A A, and are pivoted together at e. The handle of my instrument is made in two parts, 0 and O, and attached to the shanks b b, respectively. To the half 0 is attached a guard, f, and to the other half 0 is pivoted a toothed bar or ratchet, h, and to this is attached a rod, m.

To operate the instrument, the parts of the handle lie evenly together, having the blades A A parallel; then there is perfect freedom above the rod m on the handle to grasp it withboth hands. If the core should need cutting entirely around, it is accomplished simply by turning the instrument half round. Then the operator slips his hands to the top of the handle, and, while moving them to compress the earth between the blades, gives the handles a back-and-forward motion to break the core loose, which also serves to get a firmer hold upon the core,and renders the compression much easier. The guard f, with the hinge, serves to keep the base and handles in place, and the ratchet h, dropping down on the guard, retains the blades in position and saves all the strain on the operator. When ready to discharge, the ratchet h is relieved by the rod m, when the blades can be separated by means of the handles.

Having thus described my invention, what a I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The combination of the blades A A,

hinged base B B, with shank b b, and handles 0 0, all constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

2. The blades A A, base B B, shank b b,-

and handles 0 O, in combination with the guard f, ratchet h, and rod m, substantially. as a.

and for the purpose herein specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AARON E. LINDSLEY.

Witnesses:

CHARLES E. GALLIGAN, R. E. QUICK. 

